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Skinny Mexican casserole

Delicious, tasty and diet friendly skinny Mexican casserole with chicken. This recipe is absolutely perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, or as the main component of a Mexican feast.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: black beans, cheese, chicken, chili, peppers
Servings: 4
Calories: 298kcal
Author: Tonje
Cost: Cheap

Ingredients

  • 2 peppers
  • 1 onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 chili
  • 14 oz can black beans (400 ml)
  • 2 chicken breast fillets
  • 350 g enchilada sauce
  • 30 g shredded cheese
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 50 g quinoa (⅓ cup)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 185°C / 175°C fan oven / 365°F.
  • Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under running water. Boil it according to the pacakge instructions until the grains are softened.
  • Finely chop chili, garlic, onion and peppers. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan, then saute the vegetables until tender and soft, 3-5 minutes.
  • Transfer the sauteed vegetables to a casserole dish. Add finely cut chicken fillets to the same frying pan, and cook it with all the flavors of the peppers and onions. Season with cumin, paprika and salt, and cook until the chicken has slightly browned on all sides.
  • Add the cooked chicken and quinoa to the casserole dish with the vegetables. Add rinsed and drained black beans and enchilada sauce, then stir to combine all the ingredients.
  • Finally, drizzle some shredded cheese on top, and bake the skinny Mexican casserole in the oven for 10-20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Notes

What is quinoa? – Quinoa is a protein rich and gluten free grain. It can be replaced with rice or couscous if you don’t have it available.
Is this recipe allergy friendly? – This recipe is gluten free, egg free, nut free and soy free. Omit the cheese or use a plant based cheese alternative for a dairy fre version.
Can this be made vegetarian? – Absolutely! Omit the chicken for a vegetarian version. If you replace the cheese with breadcrumbs on top you will have a delicious vegan version of the casserole.
Can I omit or substitute any ingredients? – Yes. Omit or add any ingredients you want. If you don’t want to use enchilada sauce, make sure to use any other type of sauce, or the casserole will be very dry.

Top tips

  • Make sure to rinse and drain the quinoa thoroughly. Rinsing the grains before cooking will remove the natural bitterness from the grains, and they will taste way better!
  • Cut the chicken thinly, and cook it until it’s just done. This way, the chicken will be tender and juicy.

Leftovers

Store leftover skinny Mexican casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or oven before serving leftovers.
This casserole is also perfect for freezing for up to 3 months. I like to freeze it down in portion sizes for quick and easy future meals. Thaw and reheat the frozen casserole before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 1257mg | Potassium: 766mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 998IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 4mg